Saying goodbye is never easy, no matter how brightly your star shines.

For the last 14 years, Barbra Streisand has been accompanied by her Coton de Tuléar, Sammie. The pair have grown extraordinarily close, and, apart from reassuring Sammie she would never walk alone, Streisand considered her fluffy friend the closest thing to ever having a daughter.

Now 75, Streisand undoubtedly understands the frailty of life, so it was with a heart full of sadness and memory that she announced Sammie’s passing on social media.

“We cherish every moment of the 14 years we had with her,” wrote Streisand, who has been married to actor James Brolin since 1998.

Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, going to the dog park, spending time with his daughter, and coffee. Find more about Matthew on his personal website.